.Loja...travelling.light.

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” - Henry Miller

.HERE.I.AM.

im still alive! still pretty sick, but alive...ha ha and in a quiet, warm (THANK YOU!) town of Loja, still Ecuador...its my last stop before the border. im only here untill the morning when I make my long ride over the border...detailed later!

haha, okay...lets just jump into this one...my hostal...the reason im here right now...IT.IS.GROSS!. serioulsy...your going to love this...here is my room please note the hole in the wall, and poster above the bed...there is an enlarged version below...


this poster says the demands of the children...are the responsibility of the parent...this ACTUALLY like cracks me up every time i look at it...its this poster, in a frame...that is MOLDING.OFF.THE.WALL. and it looks like the kid is fully aware---say, where ARE his parents? seriusly, every time I walk into my hostal and smell the mold I just bust up laughing...no joke...Im feeling a little dirty because I havent even tried to use the shower yet today...yuck this morning I woke up, bright an early and was feeling pretty good so decided to go see some sights...there arent tons of sights, its kindof a small town....okay, well, I lie...there were tons of ¨sights....¨ha ha ill let the pictures explain...I just loved this little town, it was a releif for me to be here and enjoy it. after a nice breakfast of a yogurt shake with banana´s, I headed up the side of a small mountain to the virgen de Loja statue!

here it is...pretty cool huh? I was prettymuch all alone up here, so I got to snap lots of pictures without much concern...

okay okay...im lonely...leave me be.... he looks like the lion from the lion the witch and the wardrobe!

I loved this little thinking corner that overlooked this city...I sat here for a while.
.LOJA!. - tucked in the mountains, its almost like a secret....thinking....corner...

so that was the statue of the Virgen of Loja! it was some nice time, and I got a big huge walk out of it, feeling ambitous, I decided to walk down the small mountain, and all the way across town to the bus terminal about 2km OUT of town to buy my bus ticket for tomorrow...like I said...im feeling better!

here are some of the sights! Loja is known for its plaza´s and parks which always have cathederals in them...

okay....I.LOVE.THIS. it is...you know it, a .BIG.GREEN.SANTA. hilarious eh? this was almost the highlight of my day...untill I walked into my hostal and saw my poster... ha ha but really...he was just chillin, walking down the street and scaring children....and me

these statues were...interesting...they were just as I walked out of Loja...welcoming people to the city?
this guy looks pretty friendly, on his little tin horse...but really? his friend? DIDNT make me want to come into the city gates!
I dont know what these statues really were all about...I think its just art...creepy eh??

after my journey...was sitting outside this little catherderal by the river and this woman walked out of the hospital and plomped herself down beside me...we started chatting a little, she had a husband who was sick in the hospital...it was a nice conversation...untill she started asking me how much money I had, and if I could spare some to help with her husbands medicine...I really couldnt help...I had enough to buy my bus ticket on me... this is a really poor country.... its really sad... I said good luck and left her on the bench...I was glad I had another couple miles to walk... I was feeling a little depressed....wait...then I walked into my hostal and smelled the mold!

.ha.ha?

so thats Loja! --- a little town...

.and.a.river.runs.thru.it!

tomorrow im up REALLY early... my bus leaves to Piura, Peru at 7am...8 hours later I should be in Piura...really tho? my last bus ride was delayed by an hour because of road construction...I had a little kid stand at my window and try to sell me pappas and hot dogs in a bag with mayo on the for about 20 minutes while we were stopped...I was just trying not to puke...I still wasnt feeling that great...
but im here, im alive...im on the road again...saying goodbye to my loves and little girl yesterday was probably the hardest thing I have ever done... maybe since the last time I left that little girl staring at me as I closed the door...maybe I will see her again...im having Lorena keep in touch about her adoption status, in case anything changes...and it could....

I found this quote... its an all timer...im living my life by this....

If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness and fears. Cesare Pavese

.x.x.

.R.